Donate
Your generosity fuels the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts' ability to inspire creativity, foster community connections, and sustain vibrant cultural programming. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a lasting impact. Explore the opportunities below to choose how you’d like to support our mission and help us thrive.
Annual Operating Fund
The Annual Operating Fund is the lifeblood of ALCA’s annual programming and general operations. This fund helps bridge the gap between operating costs and earned revenues such as memberships, ticket sales, gallery and gift shop sales, and grant income. This fund also receives proceeds from event sponsorships, the annual auction, and winter/summer benefit events. Contributions to this fund have an immediate impact and help ensure vibrant programming.
Preservation & Enhancement
This restricted reserve fund was created by a formal amendment to ALCA’s Bylaws and is safeguarded by a requirement that two-thirds of the Board of Trustees must approve any disbursement. Withdrawals must also meet specific criteria, such as infrastructure improvements or strategic enhancements, and cannot be used to backfill ongoing operating deficits. The fund is held in a separate interest-bearing account at Vanguard, providing financial stability and long-term strength, and is recognized as an asset on ALCA’s balance sheet.
Endowment Fund
Managed by the Adirondack Community Foundation, the Endowment Fund is designed to provide perpetual financial support for ALCA. Donations to the endowment are invested to generate long-term returns, with approximately 4% distributed annually to support ALCA’s operations, in accordance with Foundation policy. While the endowment is not listed on ALCA’s balance sheet (this is an asset of the Foundation), the ALCA Endowment Fund represents a lasting legacy for donors who wish to support the arts across the Adirondacks for decades to come.
Ways to Give
Please contact ALCA's Development General Director, Jean-Marie Donohue (jean-marie@adirondackarts.org or 518-532-7715) to discuss these and other ways you can create a lasting impact for ALCA .
Gifts in Your Lifetime
While cash donations are the easiest and most common ways of supporting ALCA’s mission, there are numerous other ways to make a gift.
Cash
The easiest way to support ALCA is with a gift of cash, either by check or credit card. You will be able to see your generosity at work and will receive a charitable deduction on your income taxes if you itemize.
Securities
Giving securities or mutual fund shares that have increased in value (and which you have held for more than one year) enables you to support ALCA’s work while eliminating a capital gains tax and qualifies for a charitable deduction on your income taxes when you itemize.
Real Estate
Giving appreciated real estate works much the same as giving appreciated stock. When you give appreciated real estate (owned for more than one year) you qualify for an income tax charitable deduction and eliminate the capital gains tax. Importantly, you don’t need to sell the real estate and pay a broker to do so. You can deed the property directly to ALCA.
IRA Charitable Distribution
You can donate all or a portion of the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from your IRA to qualified 501(c)(3) non-profits like ALCA, thereby reducing your taxable income. Contact your IRA administrator to take advantage of an IRA Charitable Distribution.
Donor Advised Funds
You can make a one-time or recurring donation to ALCA from your Donor Advised Fund (DAF). If ALCA is not listed with your DAF manager, please contact ALCA’s Development General Director, Jean-Marie Donahue (jean-marie@adirondackarts.org or 518-532-7715) so we can have it added.
Planned Giving
A legacy gift is your lasting imprint at ALCA. Through thoughtful gift planning, you can make the gift of a lifetime, one that reflects your values and has an enduring impact on ALCA programs and facilities.
Here are some of the ways you can plan your legacy. Each option enables you to make a meaningful contribution without depleting current assets, has potential tax benefits to you, and provides a lasting impact for ALCA.
Bequests
A bequest is a simple way to leave a gift to ALCA in your Will. You can specify a set amount, a percentage of your estate or a specific asset to be donated.
Life Insurance
You can designate ALCA as a beneficiary of all or a portion of a life insurance policy.
Retirement Accounts
You can designate ALCA as a beneficiary of all or a portion of an IRA, 401-K or pension plan.
Charitable Trusts
Charitable trusts allow individuals to donate assets to one or more non-profits like ALCA while potentially receiving tax benefits and maintaining control over how the funds are distributed. A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) provides income to the donor or other beneficiaries for a set period before the remaining assets go to the designated non-profits. A Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) gives income to one or more non-profits first, with the remainder passing to heirs.
Payable Upon Death Accounts (POD)
By adding a POD designation on a bank account or certificate of deposit, the account or CD will be paid over to one or more persons or charities after your lifetime.
Transfer Upon Death Accounts (TOD)
By adding a TOD designation on a brokerage or investment account, that account will be paid over to one or more persons or charities after your lifetime.